Don't stop with just allopathic treatment for haemophilia, said Mayor Saidai S Duraisamy, as he urged medical students to research traditional Indian systems of medicine to find new answers, "There is a wealth of knowledge in traditional medicinal forms like siddha, unani and even ayurveda that may have the answer to a better life for this condition," he said. After inaugurating an awareness camp hosted jointly by the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Haemophilia Society - Madras Chapter, he said that it was laudable that so many were raising awareness about such a rare disease.

The mayor was all praise for the foresight of the Chief Minister and the Health Minister in including the treatment of haemophilia under the CM's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme. Very few people came forward earlier to avail of the treatment - which could cost between `5,000 and `10,000 per sitting. "Now this has been made free through the insurance scheme for poor people in all government hospitals and other places," he said. This would hopefully reduce the number of people going to witch doctors and priests for exorcisms and black magic cures, he added.

A panel discussion was held on ways in which awareness about haemophilia can be taken to more doctors and eventually the country's masses. As part of World Haemophilia Day a scholarship scheme for affected people called 'I Believe I Can Fly' was launched at the programme. This will help 20 students with haemophilia pursue their studies for the next three years. Dr Margaret Chellaraj, HoD of Haematology, Dr V Kanagasabai, Dean Madras Medical College and R Satyanarayanan, member of Haemophilia Society - Madras Chapter were part of the proceedings.